Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday February 15

An improving calf trade. Buyers calling out for more top end calves.

57 Dairy Cattle. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a much reduced entry met a more selective trade for all types. The best continue to sell well to a top of £2070 from R & M Lougher & Son of Brigend, Wales. Other heifers to £1960 M & K Churchill & Son; £1900 RC Taylor; £1820 DG Cheacker; £1800 AP Ractliffe and £1700 J Leggat & Son, Kent.

Best cows to £1630 from PA Cleeve, Bude; £1480 Deptford Farms; £1420, £1400 and £1360 from J Leggat & Son (dispersal) Kent.

Incalf heifers to £1050 from OM Thomas.

READ MORE: Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday February 8

798 Store Cattle and Grazing Cows. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a tremendous February entry of 798, part of 1074 with the stirks met a cracking trade. Stores are averaging at very similar levels to last year, when dead weight prices are well below.

Top was £1270 for two superb warm Limousin steers (4x 19/20m & FA) from K & M McEwen Smith, Bristol, who sold further best type feeding Limousins at £1175 (2x 19/20m & FA) and £1170 (18m & FA). Further best, shapely Limousin steers at £1210 (red, only 18m & FA) RW Tapp & Son, South Molton. Forward Limousin steers £1200 (24m & FA) JC & PA Chapple, Musbury; £1160 (4x 23/26m & FA) and £1090 (26m & FA) Stowell Bros, Churchstanton; £1140 (22m & FA) AW Selley & Son, Ash Mill. Feeding Limousins at £1070 (4x 33/34m & FA) RJ Stitch, Upper Weare and £1070 again (3x 21m) DW Parris, Dalwood. Charolais steers rose to £1245 (23m & FA) for a best forward steer from JC & PA Chapple again, who sold another at £1200 (19m & FA). Warm Charolais at £1205 (21m) from JG Warfield, Limington. Good feeder at £1140 (22m & FA) MJ & C Arthur, Bampton. Very shapely 15m Charolais (FA) at £1070 from DD & ME Purchase, Kentisbury. £1065 (3x 21m & FA) Ham Farm Partners, Creech St Michael. Simmental steers peaked at £1235 (24m & FA) for a good type from DS & SV Tapp, Tiverton, who sold others at £1105 (3x 24m & FA). Further Simmentals £1220 (21m & FA) AW Selley & Son again; £1195 (feeders, 5x 21/22m & FA) and £1075 (feeders, 19/20m & FA) V Young & Sons, Redhill; £1170 (19m) G Barnes, Whitchurch Canonicorum; £1130 (7x 16/21m & FA) GJ & SM Down, High Bickington and £1125 (5x 26m & FA) D Hodges, Templecombe. Blue steers sold to £1190 (24m & FA) DA Kidner & Son, East Huntspill. Fit Blue steers at £1170 (only 16m & FA) and £1095 (18m & FA) SER Hunt, Kilve. Further good feeders £1150 (25m & FA) Stowell Bros again; £1110 (26m & FA) H & M Thorne & Son, Umberleigh; £1100 (4x 23/25m & FA) H Miller & Son, West Buckland; £1100 again (2x 23m & FA) and £1095 (23m & FA) GR Farmer, Buckland St Mary; £1100 again (6x 20/21m) DW Parris again; £1080 (7x 23/28m & FA) NF & CO Ellis, Rampisham and £1070 (20/22m) G Barnes again.

Native steers rose to £1185 for grand Angus (25/26m & sires) from WR & NA Rich, Colyton, who sold others at £1125 (2x 26m & sires) and £1050 (4x 25/26m & sires). Further good Angus £1180 (23m, FA & sire) DA Kidner & Son again; £1175 (22m, FA & Woodington sire) AW Selley & Son again; £1125 (9x 21/28m, FA & sire) Tucker & Sons, Kingsbridge; £1125 again (18/21m, FA & sire) GD & DM Parris, Howley; £1115 (24/26m & sire) Keedwell Bros, Sandford; £1100 (4x 21/27, FA & sires) and £1065 (4x 21/26m, FA & sires) BJ Wallbridge & Son, Maiden Newton; £1100 (2x 21m & sire) G Barnes again; £1095 (2x 16/17m, FA & sire) and £1060 (6x 17/24m, FA & sire) GD & DM Parris, Howley and £1070 (23m, FA & sire) Arscott Partners, Upottery. Hereford steers at £1065 (22m & FA) GJ & SM Down, Umberleigh. Others £1060 (35m, FA & sire) NF & CO Ellis again; £1060 (29m, FA & sire) RF Patten, Hardington Marsh and £1035 (5x 23/24m & sires) R & K Dorpman, Ashbrittle. South Devons to £1060 (4x 21/22m & FA) GB Tuttiett, Lympsham.

Dairy breeds in great demand to £1050 for a well grown Fleckvieh from AW Selley & Son again. Holstein steers at £1025 (29m & FA) RJ Stitch again; £890 (3x 24/26m & FA) Arscott Partners again; £875 (3x 29m & FA) H & M Thorne & Son, Umberleigh; £815 (8x 22/29m & FA) RJ Stitch again and £800 (7x 23/27m & FA) NF & CO Ellis again. Friesians to £840 (24/25m) R & K Dorpman again and £805 (23m & FA) BJ Wallbridge & Son again. Further Fleckvieh to £805 (4x 15m) AJ Male, East Lambrook.

Heifers in superb demand to £1215 for a fit Charolais from JG Warfield from Limington again. Further good Charolais to £1100 (23m & FA) H Miller & Son, West Buckland again; £1075 (2x 26m & FA) and £1060 (3x 26m & FA) RWG Chilcott, Pawlett; £1060 (21m & FA) £1045 (22/24m & FA) and £985 (20/21m & FA) Ham Farm Partners again; £970 (5x 26m & FA) D Hodges again and £945 (only 16m & FA) AA, L & R Johnson, Broadway. Top drawer Limousins at £1195 (19m & FA) from K & M McEwen Smith, Bristol, who sold another at £1120 (20m & FA). Further good Limousins at £1060 (21m) JG Warfield again; £1030 (3x 19/20m & FA) DD & ME Purchase, Kentisbury; £1000 (19m) PR Stevens, Dunkeswell and £980 (4x 23/28m & FA) H Miller & Son again. Blue heifers peaked at £1095 for a very shapely Blue (only 16m & FA) from DD & ME Purchase again. Fit Blues at £1095 (4x 24m & FA) CWM & GN Bolt, Huntsham. Good Blues £1045 (23m & FA) and £905 (22/23m & FA) GR Farmer, Buckland St Mary; £1025 (16m & FA) £985 (16m & FA) £970 (17m & FA) and £940 (only 16m & FA) from SER Hunt again; £985 (2x 27m & FA) and £940 (28m & FA) AC House & Son, Thornfalcon; £925 (26m & FA) D Hodges again; £900 (3x 25/26m & FA) NF & CO Ellis again and £900 again, RWG Chilcott again. Simmental heifers to £1095 (19m) G Barnes again. Others £1085 (5x & FA) GB Tuttiett again and £950 (5x 21/22m & FA) V Young & Sons again. Blonde at £1045 (29m & FA) H Miller & Son again.

Native heifers rose to £1085 for a South Devon (22m & FA) from GB Tuttiett again. Angus heifers to £1030 (4x 22/28m, FA & sire) from BJ Wallbridge & Son again, who sold more at £940 (7x 23/28m, FA & sire). Further Angus £930 (only 17m & sire) R & K Dorpman again; £915 (29m, FA & sire) RF Patten, Hardington Marsh; £895 (8x 17/26m, FA & sires) GD & DM Parris, Howley and £895 again (6x 22/24m, FA & sires) CM Parker & IF Burnett, Templeton. Devon heifer at £900 (gold, 27m, FA & sire) RF Patten again. Herefords at £895 (25m & sire) R & K Dorpman again; £870 (32m & FA) RJ Stitch again; £860 (4x 35m, FA & sire) NF & CO Ellis again and £860 again (6x 21/22m, FA & sire) GD & DM Parris again.

8 Grazing Cows (pre-movement tested). Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report small entry of grazing cows sold to £925 for a 2015 born Limousin cross cow from CA & B Jarvis.

275 Busk Calves and Stirks. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a strong entry of predominantly suckler bred cattle were met by a firm trade for all on offer. Top price was £1000 for a 7m show potential Blue steer from M & M Alford. A smart consignment of Limousins topped at £985 (3x 11m) from White House Farm, who also had a pair at £855 (10m). Others to £940 (8m) M & M Alford; £895 (2x 10m) from N Brooks and £770 (10m) from BL & MJE Bartlett.

A superb entry of 60 suckler bred Charolais from KJ & LC Popham saw a top price of £955 for a 9m steer. Others to £870 (4x) £800 (8x) £775 (6x 7m) £750 (2x). Well done a fantastic show of cattle. Other Charolais to £845 from J Lock of Lower Munty; £840 (5x 8m) from RE Fewings; £835 (2x 14m) and £830 (3x) from MT & C Arthur; £765 (10m) from MJ & RSM Barrow. Herefords (13m) to £765 from RE Fewings & Son. Simmentals £745 (12m) BL & MJE Bartlett. A shapely entry of Parthenaise from Paul Webber saw the best steers to £730 (9m) and others to £695 and £680.

Heifers met a good trade for anything with shape, when several ranged between £600-£750. Top price was for a 19m Simmental from AD & SKA Darley which sold at £750, when another sold to £665 (14m). Charolais heifers from KJ & LC Popham to £745 (8m) £710 (8m) £700 (4x 9m) and £690 (4x). Other Charolais from MJ & C Arthur £720 and £715 (10m) from MJ & RSM Barrow and £710 (10m) from J Lock; £690 from BL & MJE Bartlett. Hereford £670 (12m) again from J Lock. Limousins to £655 (4x 9m) KJ & LC Popham, who also made £650 (9m) and £650 (9m) from SC French. Few best Angus forward when the best again from KJ & LC Popham sold to £635 (8m). Few Friesians forward but those that were on offer were keenly sought to £435. Others at £420, £385 and £365.

Beef Breeds (266) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report week on week the trade seems to be improving with more confidence in the beef job. Top of £350 (2x) for Blue bulls from RJ & JM Dobson and MW Nash & Partners. A call from buyers for more top end calves. Other Blues £320 from MW Nash & Partners; £310 and £300 from MC Powell and £290 TJ & BE Cowley. Only 1 Simmental to £300 from R Hares. Limousins to £275 from JT Tucker and £188 from PT & LA Herrod. Charolais to £238 from CE Veysey and £225 from GA Quick & Sons.

Continental heifers to £305 for a Blue from Luscombe Farms. Others £275 from MC Powell and £265 from O Kelways. Charolais to £250 and £190 from GA Quick & Sons. Limousins to £210 and £182 from H & NM Wall & Sons. Simmentals to £180 from R Hares & Son.

Natives to £290 for a super Hereford from NL Reeves & Son. Others £245 and £235 from Grey Partnership. Angus to £285 (2x) and £270 (5x) from AW Hewlett. Younger £265 from MW Nash & Partners. Native heifers to £285 (5x) for reared Angus from AW Hewlett & Son. Younger £180 from AJ & ES Maltby. Hereford to £165 and £150 from N & B Hutton.

Friesians (52) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report 52 dairy sired bull calves continue to be sought and sold to £140 from RD Willcox. Others £128 and £115 from RW & SL Berry and £102 from PJ & DR Browning. Best rearing types £80 plus, mediums £40-80 and plainer types still looking north of £25. Fleckvieh to £210 from Seabourough Manor Ltd. Shorthorn to £112 from JN Wyatt.

3866 Sheep. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (2054)

A larger entry of 2054 store lambs sold to another superb trade, especially for the stronger meat lambs. Joint top price went to D Powell at £134 and to £134 again (3x) from CA Churchill. Others £117 from RW Norton; £114.50 from JR, RA & RD Stanbury; £109 from JRD Colebred, SG Yates and KJ & LC Popham; £108.50 from BV Thorne; £106.50 from MW & S Edwards; £106 from MG Criddle, MF Bathard & Sons, MJ Ashman, R & F Barrow & Son and J Long; £105 and £103.50 from N Vernoum; £104.50 from JR, RA & RD Stanbury; £103.50, £102.50 and £102 from Alstone Court Partners; £102.50 from KJ & LC Popham and £102 (3x) from RW Hickman. Overall average rose by almost £3 to £87.06.

Cull Ewes and Rams (1315)

A slightly larger entry of 1315 cull ewes and rams sold to an absolute flyer for all forward. The best continental ewes topped at £152 from WT & DL Organ. Other best ewes to £146 from CHE Kidner; £142 from S & A Bevan; £136 from Tom Bamlett Farming; £134 from JR, RA & RD Stanbury; £132 from CHJ Atwell & Sons; £128.50 from WT & DL Organ; £128 from JR, RA & RD Stanbury; £126 from AJ Green; £125 from SG Yates and CB Powell & Son; £124.50 from M & R Vellacott and £124 from D Pengelly, S & A Bevan, AJB Farm Partners and R & F Barrow & Son. Cull rams sold to £145 from KJ Seymour, when others sold to £130 from GF & DV Bussell and £127 from PR Rawle (2x) and CB Powell & Son. Medium ewes £60-£85, plain £35-£60 and boners generally £28 plus. Overall average up £11 to £87.34.

Breeding Ewes (150)

A good quality entry of 150 breeding ewes sold to a continued good demand. A fantastic run from Beeswax Dyson Farming saw their Mules achieve £130 (6x) £124, £120 and £119. Overall average £118.53.

Couples (67 Ewes & 105 Lambs)

A tighter entry of couples, being 67 ewes with 105 lambs at foot, sold to a good trade, despite the poor weather. Storm Dennis made little difference! Best of the couples to £220 (£73.33/life) and £215 (£71.67/life) from AL Popham. Others to £210 (£70/life) and £200 (£66.67/life) from GW King; £190 (£63.33/life) from ER Baber and £180 (£60/life) from D Tucker, GW King and PJ Masters Farms.

Singles remain in keen demand and sold to £158 (£79/life) from AL Popham. Others to £145 (£72.50/life) £140 (£70/life) and £136 (£68/life) from GW King; £132 (£66/life) from D Tucker, ER Baber and GA & JA Fry. Overall average £65.28.

Goats (63)

An average entry of 63 goats sold to £102 from M Beach, when others sold to £84 from MF Bathard & Sons; £80 from M Michael and RG & AJ Habberfield. Overall average £77.81.

Orphan Lambs (112)

A cracking entry of orphans met a good but slightly selective trade and sold to £28 from Bucksham Milk Sheep. All averaged £17.

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report slightly reduced entry. Excellent trade for Cull Sows and Weaners. However the fat trade easier from the heady heights of the last few months.

Weaners (27)

Smaller entry – much better trade. A litter of Pietrains from DT Dare to £36. Young white weaners from D Stoddart to £32.

Cull Sows and Boars (16)

Reduced entry – another good trade although few quality sows forward. Best sows to £200 from J Parry. Medium boars to £100 and £85.

Forward Stores (99)

Another very good entry but demand from a full house of buyers weak, which resulted in a reduced trade in line with the national trend. Top of the day £125 for some heavy weights from RJ Sparshott and £120 from Bridgwater & Taunton College and MT Churchill.

Fodder. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a bumper entry of fodder for the February collective sale with a variable trade throughout. Hay and silage still faced limited demand as purchasers still have plenty in stores, however a noteworthy increase in straw demand.